Ouranos Technologies Ltd, a leading provider of IT infrastructure services and solutions in West Africa, today announced the launch of Ouranos Lab, a venture studio focused on building the products and solutions that will power the future of enterprise technology in Africa.
Ouranos Lab is backed by a $2 million investment from Ouranos Technologies and will be led by Olusegun Maleghemi as Chief Innovation Officer. Maleghemi is no stranger to the technology and innovation space, having served as Director of Incubation at The Nest Innovation Technology Park, which provides support for startups building impactful solutions.
Making the announcements, Joseph Aransiola, Managing Director of Ouranos Technologies Ltd, said, “Ouranos Lab is a natural next step for our company as we look to increase our presence in Africa and drive innovation in the technology and innovation space.
Africa is poised for tremendous growth in the technology space, and Ouranos Lab will play a key role in driving that growth. I am confident that this investment will help identify and develop new technologies and solutions that will drive sustainability and growth for the enterprise technology industry in Africa.”
Ouranos Lab will focus on developing innovative solutions in Data and Identity Security, Artificial Intelligence and Machine learning, Connected devices, Internet of Things (IoT), Blockchain application in the non-finance space, Business Process Reengineering (BPR) and Robotics Process Automation (RPA), amongst others.
The venture studio also intends to work closely with startups and entrepreneurs to bring their ideas to life by providing support in product development, funding, access to new markets and mentorship.
“I am delighted to lead Ouranos Lab and work closely with the team to foster innovation in the African enterprise solutions space,” says Ouranos Lab’s Chief Innovation Officer Olusegun Maleghemi. We have a strong team with a lot of expertise in technology and innovation who are dedicated to building products and solutions that will define Africa’s future. We will focus on developing sustainable and scalable products to drive enterprise business growth.
Africa’s technology and innovation space is experiencing rapid growth, raising a combined $5.4 billion in 2022, according to market intelligence firm Briter Bridges. Much of this funding is VC-led, as venture studios are few and far between on the continent.
In response, Mfon Okon, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Ouranos Technologies Ltd, says, “We are looking to bridge this divide by investing in the companies that are building innovative and scalable solutions germane to the future of enterprise solutions in Africa.
The choice of Olusegun Maleghemi as Chief Innovation Officer was strategic. With his extensive experience in technology and innovation, Olusegun is well-suited to lead Ouranos Lab and drive growth for the company in Africa. His focus will be on providing a platform for entrepreneurs to bring their ideas to life, working closely with them to ensure that their products and solutions are successful and suited for the future of Africa’s enterprise solutions industry.”
The launch of Ouranos Lab is part of the expansion strategies of Ouranos Technologies as the company looks to increase its product and service offerings, as well as its presence from three to six countries in Africa, by the end of 2023. Over the last decade, the company has delivered IT infrastructure services and solutions to clients across multiple African regions, working with global and local partners.
About Ouranos Lab
Ouranos Technologies (Ouranos) is a major player in providing IT infrastructure services and solutions to customers in West Africa and across Africa. The company develops, builds and provides solutions for business applications and key infrastructure, such as systems and storage, data centres, enterprise, wide communication and networking.
It presently operates in three African markets, Nigeria, Benin and Cameroon and is looking to increase its footprint to six countries in Africa by the end of 2023. Ouranos Technologies is also establishing Ouranos Lab to drive the development of scalable enterprise technology solutions on the continent.
About Olusegun Maleghemi
Olusegun Maleghemi was the Director of Incubation at The Nest Innovation Technology Park before joining Ouranos Lab. He paired this position with his role as Project Director at Exolve Technologies, a software development company that creates custom applications. Previously, he worked for NEC Japan and Business Connexion, which TELKOM acquired.
Olusegun has senior leadership experience and an MSc in Innovation and Technology Management from the University of Bath. He is also a PLSC-45 Alumnus of the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) Kuru and the Lagos Business School.
